Incredible experience that truly left a mark on me March 29, 2021
By Pablo Di Benedetto (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/04/2019 to 05/31/2019 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid
It was absolutely worthwhile. I improved my Spanish and successfully learned about and integrated into another culture.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I went to visit a Doctor 3 times in Madrid. Middlebury made it incredibly easy for me to schedule my appointments and deal with everything I had to. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Madrid came at a time when I needed it. Simply, it was an incredible experience. I felt Spanish. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
If you manage your finances correctly then you should have no problem. Also, dining out and enjoying the city was not very expensive. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Spend extravagantly on things you love and be frugal with everything else. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 300 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Be courageous and try to speak as much as possible. While it may be very difficult, try to branch out from the Middlebury crew and meet/speak with locals. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How quickly the time would pass and to enjoy everything about the program. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
European Union |
| Course Department: | International Studies |
| Instructor: | Prof. Seijo |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | I really enjoyed the lecture style of the class. Our professor was incredibly knowledgable about the topics and it was a joy to hear him passionately share information with all of us. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | None |
